Shroud Cay to Wardrick Wells

3/8/16 -3/9/16   Shroud Cay    24 32.065N    76 47.926W    16.9NM
With fewer boats at Allans Cays Monday evening, we watched the sun set, unobstructed, behind the clouds on the Exuma Bank.  The wind continued to whistle in the rigging all night, as we rocked in the current.  It might have been smoother if we'd reanchored on the other side of the sandbank after some of the boats had departed, but it was easier to stay put.

Sunset at Allans Cays

An 'oh shit' from Leonard as we started to take in the anchor proved worthy of phrase.  The gears on the windlass broke when he stepped on the up button.  No, we don't carry a spare, and we won't be getting a replacement in the Bahamas. Although the Bahamas have no income tax, everything imported into the country is taxed (VAT), and in this case 40%, to say nothing of the paperwork, shipping and logistics.  Luckily the windlass can be used with a winch handle, not ideal, but considerably easier on an aging back than hauling by hand (60' 5/16" chain and 35# of anchor).  It's less of a problem in the Bahamas since we usually anchor in fairly shallow water (10'-12') and we can motor toward the anchor as we pick it up.  We'll need to make sure the anchor is well set to avoid any midnight Chinese fire drills, at which time it could present a bigger problem.

White caps on the bank, looking toward the marina on Highborne Cay as we sailed past

The wind showed no sign of easing back, blowing steadily around 20kts with a few gusty periods.  We ran out a bit of the jib once we cleared the shoals and had a fast, somewhat salty, sail down to Shroud Cay.  It would be great if we could stay tucked close to the chain of cays, but the Exuma bank has numerous shoals extending W, some distance out into the bank, and the cays bend a bit to the SE toward Georgetown on Great Exuma Cay, the Jumentos and eventually Cuba.  Reaching was great - we were doing between 6-7kts, but after clearing Norman Cay Spit (2.5NM out), the course to Shroud was more to windward, and with several miles of fetch and shoal water, we had short, choppy 2' seas that occasionally splashed on deck.  So much for our salt free decks, a quick rain shower would have been appreciated, but although there were clouds, no rain appeared.  Wiping helped, but didn't remove all of the salt, and we don't carry enough fresh water to wash the boat.  We joined a fleet of vessels either on the park moorings or anchored at the deeper of the Shroud Cay anchorages.  Two of the anchorages are charted as shoal with less than 1.5meters, great for multihulls and trawlers, but a bit iffier for deeper drafts.

Panoramic view looking at Shroud Cay and anchorage from a cay by the sand spit
(entrance to the creek to beach is upper left)

After lunch, we headed ashore in the dinghy, hoping to go to the beach on the sound via one of the creeks that flow through Shroud Cay.  Unfortunately, it was new moon, and we'd arrived at low tide, we didn't make it past the sand bar close to the entrance.  Instead we walked along a sand spit to several little cays before it disappeared as the tide rose.  By the time we finished our dinghy ride, we were salty and in need of a quick rinse.

Lynnea walking on the sand spit  - we watched a dinghy motor across at high tide

The wind clocked another 20 degrees overnight (into the SE) , and continued to blow, and not forecast to abate until the weekend.  With more fetch, the boat danced and bobbed all night as we listened to the sound of the trade winds moaning in the rigging.  We considered moving, but opted to wait for a day since we weren't in a hurry - crossing the Wide Opening would be messy in these conditions.  The wind backed into the E again by evening on Wednesday and picked up a bit.  One monohull ventured into one of the 'skinny' anchorages during the day to avoid the swell and we wondered if it would be any calmer.

We've been enjoying the beautiful, clear waters in the Bahamas.  The colors are varied and vivid.  Unfortunately photos, ours at least, don't do them justice.  Much of the  ICW looks like root beer due to the amount of tannin in the water, akin to bad coffee.  Here, with some practice, the water depths can be judged by color and help to avoid grounding on a sand bar or coral in good light.  The darker the blue, the deeper the water, green usually indicates a grassy bottom, the darker the color, the deeper - white or brown and you're in trouble, while black indicates a coral head, best avoided.  We listened to a vessel that misjudged the depths going into the N harbor at Warderick Wells and stopped short.  I suspect they met a lot of new friends by the time they got to their mooring (sailors are a helpful bunch).  It's a narrow, winding channel into the moorings, dodging moored boats and the banks that go dry on either side at low water.  When the current's running, it can be difficult to pick up the mooring lines.  We've had problems and watched others struggle as well over the years.

Looking on the brighter side, with all the wind, bugs aren't an issue, neither is power.  We've had to shut down the wind generator to keep from over charging the batteries - it's earning its keep!  After shutting the wind generator off much of the day, we were only down 11 amp hours.  Amazing what 20kts of wind and some sun can do.  If we were connected, we could sell power to the grid.  Meanwhile, we'll bob and weave, wishing for a tad less wind.  Leonard commented these conditions are like what we encountered 2 years ago in Marathon when we missed a  weather window by days.  It blew out of the E for over a month, 20 + kts, nonstop, and folks waited in Marathon until April before crossing the gulf stream.  Today, on his weather broadcast, Chris Parker predicted 8'-9' seas in the gulf stream, hardly anyone's idea of a good time, no matter which way you're headed.

Tropic birds

It's spring, and we watched as the white-tailed tropic birds performed their ritual mating flights overhead.  We were alerted to their presence by their calls.  They're beautiful, with long tails, about half their body length (some 30" overall), and their undersides reflecting the turquoise of the water.  They nest on several of the cays in the park from February thru August and are considered vulnerable to extinction, 2,000 - 3,000 pair down from 10,000 pair 20 years ago (approximately 500 pair breed in the Bahamas).  Breeding begins at about 4 years, and pairs lay a single egg in nests in cavities and on the cliffs. They rarely come to land except to breed and, with legs well back on their bodies, have trouble walking on land  They are members of the pelican family, diving head first into the water after small fish and squid.  Air sacks in their necks break the impact of the dive.  Like pelicans, they swallow their catch before resuming flight.  Getting the camera to focus on them can be difficult, even on shore, much less from a constantly moving platform.  Leonard did a great job!  

3/10/16    24 29.036N    76 46.391W    Hawksbill Cay    4.7NM

We headed for the beach a bit before high tide to have enough water to clear all the sand bars in the creek, crossing the sand spit near the boat with no problem.  We opted to stop by the longer beach, S of Camp Driftwood, anchoring the dinghy in ankle deep water and wading ashore behind the beach.  The surf was crashing onto the rocks and beach, and we were glad we wouldn't need to attempt to beach a dinghy in the surf.  With the tide still rising, we  had over an hour before we'd need to think about rescuing the dinghy, enjoying having the beach to ourselves.  Unfortunately, as is frequently the case, there was more trash than shells on the beach, and we helped the cause by picking up a bit, adding to the pile gathered under a tree.

With plenty of water in the creek, we dinghied over to check out Camp Driftwood, reportedly built a hermit, a bit further N.  Our day could have been a lot more exciting, but thankfully wasn't.  The creek empties into the sound at Camp Driftwood, a narrow cut that packs a lot of current.  As we approached, it wasn't clear which way the current was flowing, but became very obvious when we slowed to make a turn onto the beach just up the creek - it was flowing out, probably over 3kts.  Dinghies can be tricky to maneuver, especially in current, and as we turned, we were carried toward some sharp rocks and would have been taken out to sea (same waves we'd been glad we weren't trying to time to land a dinghy).  Fortunately the outboard didn't stall, but it took full throttle to get us headed back in the right direction.  Visiting Camp Driftwood no longer seem like such a great idea.

Surf rolling in from the Exuma Sound at Shroud Cay

Instead, we explored the creek system. The mangrove swamp which pretty much fills the interior, serves as a nursery for many species of fish, and over the years, we've seen small sharks swimming alongside the dinghy. The chart indicated another entrance at the N end of the furthest anchorage that we've never tried.  After a few 'S' curves, with no visual indication as to how the creek would get past some small bits of higher ground, we exited onto the bank, the creek much deeper than the one by the boat.  We checked out the other anchorages (calmer than ours) as we tucked in along the lee shore.  By the time we got back, the sand spit was too shallow to cross, and the more circuitous route around the small cays made for a longer run into the waves to get back to the boat.  I was drenched by the time we arrived.

Looking at the chart, the deeper anchorage at the S end of Hawksbill Cay wouldn't offer any more protection than where we were, but it would be different, and about 5NM closer to Warderick Wells, the park headquarters.  We debated sailing, but since half the distance would be to windward, we just motored (neither wind generator nor solar panel makes hot water, running the engine does).  We did a short 180 when the depth by a shoal read less than charted to avoid 'finding the bottom' not a good idea on a falling tide.  As we approached Hawksbill, we noticed a large yacht and numerous sail boats with drafts comparable to ours, anchored in the more protected anchorage along the W side of the cay, with a charted approach of 1.4 meters, just under 5', (we never saw less than 7').  We decided to do a slow approach to see how far in we could get, and were surprised to find enough depth and slightly deeper water as we closer to shore, so we joined the fleet, with about a foot of water under the keel at low tide.  The anchorage was closer to a beach and the trail head to the trail over to the sound, with less fetch and hopefully less swell.

After lunch we set about removing some of the salt accumulation from the deck and stanchions, and wiping the hull.  With less wind and wave action it was a bit easier to do.  The wind dropped back into the low teens for part of the afternoon, only to build back up to 20 after dark, giving us the opportunity to see how much protection, if any, this anchorage provided.  It was much better.

Hawksbill Anchorage

Friday morning we headed ashore.  We've never hiked the trail to the beach at the N end of the island, so we took a left at the fork.  We still didn't reach the beach.  The trail petered out with an alternative of skirting the cliffs overlooking the sound.  With the waves breaking just below, I wasn't a happy camper, so we headed back.  By the time we got to the trail overlooking the beach to the S, a dark cloud, threatening rain was approaching from the SE.  One shower had just missed us, but this one wouldn't.  We didn't mind getting wet, but the ports were open on the boat, and, with the memory of the recent deluge in Nassau, we headed back to the boat, we could always go back ashore once the weather cleared up.  It did rain, but not much.

We went ashore in the afternoon at low tide, and met Larry and Lynn, folks who'd been the host boat at the moorings at Cambridge Cay (another of our favorite stops).  I took a long walk on the beach while Leonard found some shade.  He'd stopped to look at a piece of interesting flostom that had washed ashore well above the high tide mark.  Upon closer inspection, it looked like it might have been part of a rocket, with a thick layer of aluminum honeycomb material under a skin of fiberglass.  It remains a mystery.

Not sure what this is - Perhaps parts of a rocket booster

Detail of Aluminum honey comb and fiber glass exterior

We'd just gotten back to the boat when a neighbor dinghied over to invite us to join a group on the beach to watch the sun set.  We joined them and got to met some of our neighbors.  The main topic was the recent winds, which have been keeping folks at anchor - a case of too much of a good thing.  While many are returning to the states, we did meet a few that we'll likely see again as we head S.  

More Nassau and on to Allans Cay

3/5/16    Nassau Yacht Haven Slip 4A

First off, a correction.  The lizard I labeled an iguana in Bill Baggs State Park is a monitor lizard, an aggressive, non-native species that can grow up to 5' - not to be messed with!  Paige, Thanks for the correction.

Note:  Panoramic photos tend to look a bit distorted from what we actually see, more so than when we 'stitch' photos together

As forecast Saturday, the wind was blowing out of the E 15-20 and it was mostly cloudy.  We were happy with our plan to stick around for the day rather than have a 30NM beat to reach the first cays in the Exuma chain.  Having done Nassau the day before, we walked over the bridge to Paradise Island, the posh resort area across from us. 

Looking East from the top of the bridge - Antares is
hidden behind Potters Cay and the local freighters

Once across the bridge, there was an upscale shopping area, great for window shopping, and an upscale version of a Straw Market, labeled as  Bahama Craft Centre which we skipped.  While the beach has limited public access, there are a couple of public accesses available to those of us not staying at one of  the resorts, so we headed for the closest one.  Paradise Island has several lagoons as well as the entrance into the Atlantis complex marina in the middle.  At one, there was a park dock where a couple were feeding the ducks and turtles.  We watched as the critters snatched up the tidbits - there were an amazing number of turtles, somewhat hard to see due to the murkiness of the water. 

White-cheeked pintail

Turtles in the lagoon

Apparently, being a Saturday, we were between 'break weeks'.  The beach had relatively few people on it, although we did see one group of 'breakers', easily identified by their cans of Kalik in hand at 1030.  Our legs got quite a work out in the soft sand and somewhat steep angle to the water.  We headed E until we ran into the private property sign at the Ocean Club Estates.  Theoretically we should able able to walk between the high water mark and the water, but we'd been keeping an eye on some dark clouds W of Nassau most of the morning.  It was difficult to determine which way the clouds were moving in the brisk E wind, but it looked like they were slowly edging toward us.

Looking E on the beach at Paradise Island

Leonard checking the cell phone in the shade

There aren't a lot of choices of roads on Paradise, and we were looking for a connection to Paradise Island Drive to check out the Versailles Gardens and the Cloister before we headed back to the marina.  Both are unique (and posted as private), located on either side of the road, covering most of the width of the island, and appear to be part of the One and Only Ocean Club.  We toured them anyway, along with a number of other folks.  

Looking toward the Cloister from the Versailles Gardens

Water lily in a pond at the Versailles Gardens

With the weather looking a bit more threatening, we decided to head back to the boat rather than go tour the Atlantis complex.  They do have a beautiful natural aquarium that is accessible to the public (as is the casino) that we saw a number of years ago.  It started to sprinkle when we got to the bridge, and after ducking under the porch at the police station, we decided we wouldn't melt, and headed across.

It was windy at the top of the bridge!  A good 25kts from the E, enough to hang on to our hats.  We made made a quick stop at the market stalls at Potter's Island to pick up some sapodillas, a native fruit, and some green local bananas.  Since it looked like it would rain for a while, we headed back to the marina, arriving just in time for a down pour.  We ducked into the laundry and waited, wishing we'd made it back  few minutes earlier.  We'd shut the boat up, but both hatches were cracked for air flow.  With the rain coming down sideways, we'd be lucky if it didn't blow under the dinghy and get our bunk damp.

Unfortunately the closest weather radar was at Freeport - don't know why Nassau airport doesn't have one available, so we couldn't check to see how long the rain would last.  We're spoiled by having instant access to radar available in the states.  It did let up for a minute (we weren't ready to dash) and commenced to bucket down for another 15 minutes.  At the next slight break we were off, enough of this standing around!  Much to my surprise, our bunk was dry. It must have dumped a couple of inches in about 30 minutes.

Neither of us were enamored with the showers at the marina.  Both heads had 2 showers, but no privacy other the actual shower curtain, so you dressed (and undressed) in full view of anyone using the toilets - a bit exposed since the toilets were beyond the showers.  Leonard realized he could hook up our hose to the boat and bypass our tanks - we could take showers aboard.  While we could have used our tank water and refilled the tank, the marina has city water, not RO, and not quite up to US standards.  This way we didn't deplete our tank and had privacy - our shower is wonderful!

I did a quick load of laundry while we had dinner.  With the humidity around 90%, I wasn't overly surprised when the clothes were still somewhat damp when the dryer was done.  I'd have gotten another token, but the office was closed, so we strung a line in the cabin, hoping things were eventually dry.

3/6/16-3/7/16  To  and at  24 44.803N,    76 50.270W    Anchorage at Allans Cays    33.1NM

Sunday's weather forecast a morning calm ahead of the northerlies approaching the area arriving about 1400.  With 30 some NM to go to Allans Cays, we walked to the Fresh Market for last minute items (less for more, further down the chain), before we departed.  The light wind also made it easier to take on fuel on our way out the harbor.  With everything filled up and topped off, we were underway before 1100.

Sunday small boat race at Nassau Yacht Club 

The wind gradually filled in as we headed SE allowing us to sail.  Before long, we were putting reefs in the main and then rolling in some jib and still doing between 6-7kts down wind.  A great sail.  We crossed the Yellow Bank, seeing several black spots indicating coral heads as we went, but with plenty of water under the keel.  It can be difficult to differentiate clouds from coral heads with scattered clouds, until you realize the cloud shadows move across the surface and the coral heads don't.

Looking N from Antares at the anchorage at Allans Cays - a shoal runs
down the middle (left  of the trawler and cat), with another shoal  N of the cay.
Note:  On these reduced pictures, the spacing looks much greater than it really is.

 We arrived at Allans Cays around 1630 and picked a spot off Leaf Cay, along with 10 other boats.  We were glad we beat the last boat, giving us a bit more choice as to where to drop the hook.  It was a bit lumpy, even with the land and reef protection, thanks to the N wind, currents (and cross currents) that flow through the various cuts.  Our anchor stayed set at 2000 rpm, allowing us to swing free of reefs and vessels.  We settled in for what looked to be a less than peaceful night with the anchor alarm set.

After 1930, someone flashed a light on us - never a good sign.  Neither were the voices that seemed too close.  We popped out of the cabin to find the trimaran that had anchored later between us and a large catamaran drifting down on our bow in the current switch against the wind.  Ouch!  Leonard fired up the engine to back us away while they hauled anchor.  They eventually reset their anchor, well away from us.  Meanwhile, our anchor alarm went off, another false alarm, don't know if it's caused by loss of GPS coverage or what.  It was frustrating (and poor seamanship) that the trimaran never turned on running lights, making it difficult to see where they were maneuvering.  The big cat turned on their underwater lights and we turned on our fore deck light to make sure we were visible until he was anchored (also making it easier for us to see we hadn't moved since we'd anchored).

We settled back in for a somewhat restless night.  With the wind generator whirring, power wasn't a problem, so we left the instruments on to check the wind speed.  After midnight, Leonard finally turned the wind generator off since the batteries were overcharging.  At 0600, the alarm sounded again even though we were within 90' of the anchor (alarm setting  was 140')- another false alarm. 

The forecast called for the wind to blow 15-20 kts with gusts until the weekend, but clocking into the NE then E, providing us better protection both at Allans Cays and along the island chain as we head S.  There are few places in the Exumas that have protection from N, W or S since the prevailing trade winds are easterly.

Looking S from Leaf Cay toward Highborne Cay (upper left) Antares anchored at the right

Around noon, the wind had clocked enough to the NE  making it possible to go ashore, so we launched the dinghy, this time with me cranking it up and Leonard controlling the dinghy over the lifelines and out over the water - when it's windy I have trouble hanging on to it.  Worked petty good.

Beach on the E side of Leaf Cay

We hiked around the S end of the island to the beach, then across to some ruins.  Someone built a house here, but all that remains now are the cement floor, walls and a number of stone slabs that serve as a path.  We saw a number of the local iguanas (only found here) who are accustomed to being fed, thus amble up looking expectant.  The cruise ships bring boat loads of visitors on go fast boats for a tour, who invariably feed them, as do others, although signs are posted prohibiting it. Sometimes the big ones can be a bit intimidating.  Although another dinghy went ashore, we were the only ones on the beach.  It must have been too windy for the cruise ship tours, making for a quiet morning.

A big iguana by the ruins on Leaf Cay

A number of the boats who'd been anchored departed during the morning, and I expect we'll have fewer here tonight.  It will be a while before there's another weather window for boats to cross from the states, or leave Nassau.  We're at the tail end of the boats that crossed before the wind switched.  Heading back to the states isn't much easier, it's down wind, but 20-25kts of wind with any northerly component is the recipe for a nasty gulf stream crossing, leaving a number of folks parked at one end or the other, waiting for another break in the weather.

We'll start on our way S Tuesday, island hopping as we go. With the wind in the E, the islands provide us with smooth sailing on the bank.  It would be nice to have lighter winds to cross the 'Wide Opening' which is exactly what the name implies, and can be a bit wild when the wind's up due to numerous shoals. There are a number of good anchorages we like before we get there.

We hope to pick up a mooring for a few days at the Exuma Land and Sea Park (S of the Wide Opening). You can put your name on the mooring waiting list at Warderick Wells 1 day in advance which allows everyone an reasonable chance to get a mooring near the park headquarters or by Emerald Rock within a few days. While the N harbor is a good place to sit out a front, it's also nice to be there in good weather when it's easier to snorkel.

To the Bahamas and Nassau highlights

3/2/16    25 27.787N    78 22.453W    West of Russell Light on the Great Bahama Bank    107.0NM

Leonard had set the alarm for 0030, and we had the anchor up and were underway by 0042.  Other than anchor lights, there was no sign of life on any of the vessels we passed as we motored past Cape Florida, so it didn't look like we'd have company on our trip east.  There are 2 channels out of Biscayne Bay here, the one we took that hugs the shore and then skirts a number of shoals, the second, further S, by Stiltsville (homes built on stilts as fishing camps), and more direct. 

It's difficult to judge distance in the dark, and relative distance between marks.  Both channels had a number of lit buoys, most with unlit bouys on the other side of the channel that we needed to avoid.  I'm not sure why, but 1green looked closer than the red on our track, making it appear we'd take red to port, and I know that's not correct.  The chart plotter and radar sorted it out - we had to go around the red, take a dog leg and head toward the greens to dodge a wreck and several 3' spots.  At half tide, the shallowest we saw was just under 9', fairly straight forward, especially in the calm conditions.  The wind forecast was correct, L&V it was!

Even under the relatively calm conditions, the N swell left from the past week was still 1-2', fairly closely spaced, making it feel like we were on a pogo stick as we crossed the gulf stream.  No breaking waves splashing on the hull, just bobbing up and down in the poorly (for us) spaced swell. 

The track to Bimini was anything but a straight line.  Knowing we'd have strong current pushing us N in the gulf stream, our original heading was 15 degrees S of our destination so we wouldn't miss our way point.  When the current got stronger, reaching 4kts, we added another 10 degrees to compensate.  It's a bit frustrating to be doing 6 kts through the water, but 5 toward our waypoint, Leonard was wishing we'd started earlier, but agreed his original 2000 would have been too early.

Around 0300, I eavesdropped on a medical emergency.  A 21 year old man aboard 'Ducky Dive', a dive boat S of us, collapsed with symptoms of a heart attack.  I couldn't hear the vessel on the VHF, but the gal at the CG (one of the best I've heard) came in loud and clear.  She must have had a symptom appropriate list of questions to gather medical information, and repeated the relevant information to make sure she'd heard correctly.  Articulate and impressive. 

While she did inquire about vessel length, color and POB, it was interspersed with medical questions and she never asked if everyone was wearing a PFD, if the anchor was down, or if they had a  number they'd like to have the CG to call to relay a message for assistance (usually the questions we hear at home).  After getting the vessel coordinates and ascertaining the crew was Bahamian, she apparently alerted the hospital in Nassau (also closest) to alert them of the problem and set in motion a helicopter evacuation after asking if helicopter retrieval would be possible from the vessel. 

She kept in contact with the vessel, calling frequently to check on the patient and get updated medical info (pulse, breathing, eyes, skin condition, ability to move or speak) and vessel location.  I missed the end when I went off watch, and as we got further from Miami and out of range for our VHF.  I was impressed with how well the situation was handled and hope the rescue was successful.

Dawn as we cross the gulf stream

We entered the Great Bahama Bank at 1007, between Gun Cay and N Cat Cay, dodged the reef by the entrance, some shoals inside, and started across.  It's as far across the bank as it was from Cape Florida to the entrance of the bank - it's a big, shallow bank, probably averaging 10'-12'  deep.  While it would have been great to be under sail on a beam reach, the dead calm conditions made for easy motoring, and we weren't complaining.  Twice we've encountered E winds 10-20kts when we've crossed, making for a long miserable slog, leaving the boat salt encrusted, and us weary.  Calm is fine with us!  Areas of water were glassy, not even a ripple, it's was like looking through a glass bottom boat, allowing us to count star fish and see a few fish.  Most of the bank has a sand bottom, so there aren't a lot of places for fish to hide, and the few we've saw tended to be by the grassy (dark appearing) areas.

Light house on Gun Cay where we entered the bank

Several times during the day, cat paws appeared on the water, but the wind remained light and variable until late in the afternoon.  When a NW zephyr did fill in, we ran out the jib netting a .2 - .4kts increase in speed.  It was a welcome boost since we hoped to anchor past Russell Light to reduce the distance to Nassau Thursday.  While a 60NM day isn't unusual for us, it would make it late in the day before we'd arrive and we need to arrive at a yet to be determined marina during 'working hours' to clear customs.  The old anchorage we used in the past had been taken over by a new, expensive marina on our last trip, which has severely limited the anchorage area in the harbor (holding is notoriously poor). 

Sundown on the banks - as you can see, not a lot to see, no land in sight

We called it a day at 1830.  While it had been an easy passage it had been a long day.  It felt good to rinse off in the water - refreshing after the hot sun (we're in the tropics, and it can be hot when the wind doesn't blow to cool things down).  While we'd seen numerous jelly fish in the gulf stream, the bank appeared free of them.  It will be another early start in the morning.

3/32016   To 25 3.308N,  7730.241W  Old Fort Bay, Providence Island   64.5NM

Even with an early start, it took the whole day to get to Providence Island.  We had a bit more wind and an overcast sky keeping it a bit cooler.  According to the GRIB and Chris Parker, the wind should have been S going to the SW in the afternoon, but where we were it was SE, pretty much the direction we were headed.  The seas were choppy enough once we cleared the banks at the NW Channel the we decided to raise the main to help steady the boat.  Sheeted in tight, it gave us a bit of a boost if we headed 20 degrees off wind  and helped smooth the way. 

The problem with long distances and fluky winds is it adds time and miles to the trip and the ETA at Nassau seemed to be locked in at 7 hours at every hourly log entry.  We were traveling 5NM at the log readings, just not toward out way point and an ETA of well after dark, so we dropped the main and motored.  Even then, we wouldn't arrive at Nassau until after dark, so we headed for an anchorage on the NW side that was about 10NM closer.  We even managed to run the jib out and sail a few miles thanks to the wind going a bit more to the E.  We had the hook set at 1715 in Old Fort Bay.  Another long day.

3/4/2016  To  25 04.551N,  77 19.007W   Nassau Yacht Haven Marina, Nassau   12.9NM

Entrance into Nassau harbor 

We slipped into Nassau harbor between a cruise ship (2 were already docked) and a freighter about 0845, having cleared in with Harbor Control.  I'd been concerned about getting a slip in Nassau, necessary to clear Customs, since the marinas be full when folks are trying to tuck in when fronts come through.  Not to worry, Nassau Yacht Haven had more empty slips than full.  Looks like the stretch of light winds worked both for those coming and going. We wanted to take on fuel before we went into our slip, but like many of the marinas, they no longer have fuel, and we were directed to a fuel dock next door..  We asked if we would be allowed to take on fuel with our "Q" flag up, and the Yacht Haven dock master didn't think it would be a problem.  Unfortunately that dock master at the fuel dock refused to sell us fuel until we'd cleared customs.  Drats - the wind is forecast to be stronger when we plan to depart, and docking is always easier when it's not windy (the current in the harbor can be significant).

Harbor control tower

By 0930 we were tied up in slip 4A at the marina.  After filling out all the forms, Leonard took them to the marina office to try to clear into the Bahamas.  He was sent back to the boat and told we'd get a call on channel 72 when the officials arrived, and it might take a while since a cruise ship had just arrived.  Guess we're on island time.  The dock master said he doubted the officials would come down to the boat - we're too small - although they actually had on our last trip.  Much to our surprise, 2 women, 1 from Customs, the other from Immigration, appeared on the dock shortly after 1100.  After going through paperwork, our  passports were stamped and they reminded us to swap the 'Q' flag for the Bahamian flag, to show we'd officially arrived.  Now we could run errands, go for a walk, and enjoy Nassau.

View of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island

First on the agenda was to obtain a cell phone SIM card to use in the Bahamas.  While pulling everything for the trip together several days before we left Vermont, Leonard ran into a snag.  We had a prepay international SIM card with $35 credit that we used on our last Bahamas trip 3 years ago.  When he checked to make sure it still worked, he learned they'd cancelled the card since we hadn't used it frequently enough.  Great!  Not enough time to get a new one before we left.  They did finally credit the $35, but our best bet would be to buy a new SIM card once we got to the Bahamas.  The nearest Batelco office was just up the street from the marina in the shopping center.   It took less than 15 minutes to get a new SIM card installed in our smart phone for $60 and, voila, we have a working phone with a 2 gig data plan.  Even our 'hot spot' works (albeit slower), almost like being at home (provided we're with in range of a Batelco tower).

We stopped back at the boat before walking into town and met one of the crew of 3 guys on the boat next to us. They'd arrived just ahead of us and heard us taking to Harbor Control.  It's their first trip and he had questions about the Yellow Bank, a shallow area dotted with coral heads that is on the shortest track to the Exumas from Nassau.  It's never been a problem for us, if the sun's out, the coral heads are obvious, and we've never seen depths that have been worrisome.  We find the coral heads interesting and have been tempted to stop to snorkel.   He came over with the owner and their charts to pick or brains.  Being a cautious first timer, the captain decided he'd play it safe, make the recommended dog leg (extra miles) as advised by the Waterway Guide, avoiding the coral heads. The captain also took our picture (the happy old cruisers) to send to his wife who was at home in NJ and doesn't sail.  They plan to depart in the morning, so maybe we'll see them further down the line, they're only going as far as Staniel Cay (famous for  James Bond and Thunderbolt movie).
We walked into town looking for cheap, light colored tee shirts that I knew we'd find by the cruise ship docks, the other item on my 'to do' list in Nassau.  On our way, we saw a church and cemetery we'd not explored on past trips.  It  As expected, with 3 cruise ships in town, the down town streets were jammed with tourists.  I've always found it interesting that the Bahamians are nicely dressed, no matter how hot it is, and how many tourists don't seem to realize that their attire may be a bit too casual. 

St Mathews Church and graveyard

A quick pass by the straw market was more than enough, the vendors tend to be very aggressive, a sure turn off for me.  A new to us, native artisans and craft are was set up at Pompey Square that was more interesting since we could actually look before being accosted.  On the way back, we walked past the Bahamian Government House, the equivalent of the White House, and were told to stay behind the yellow line (with threats of calling the American Embassy to summon marines should we stray over the line).  Then we walked up to Fort Fincastle and down the Queen's Steps.  By then we were both tired, and we still wanted to rinse the salt off the boat (rinse, not spray, since the water pressure at the end of the docks was more a trickle than a flow).

Properly dressed police and tourists on Bay St

Looking up the Queens Stairs, 66 steps carved  out of limestone and bricked up by slaves

Panorama of previous anchorage in front of the Green Parrot Bar - Now Bay Street Marina

Atlantis at Night from the Antares

Our current plan is to depart Nassau on Sunday and head to Allans Cays ahead of the next batch of NE winds.  The winds which have been uncommonly light, are forecast to switch to the W today and blow fairly hard Saturday from the E, before shifting into the N and NE Sunday, and fill in Monday with 15-25 with gusts and blow most of the week.  We want to be down in the Exuma chain when they start, with a number of anchorages and protection.  It's another long day heading SE from Nassau to Allans.  

 Lynnea

Bill Baggs State Park

3/1/16    25 40.399N    80 09.846W    Bill Baggs State Park    .4NM

Hi,

After breakfast, we went ashore for walk in Bill Baggs State Park checking out the bay, beach and 'Nature Trail' down the middle of the park.  There are 7 fishing piers (not really piers, but decks over the water for fishermen) located along the bay where we frequently have seen fish.  The water's clear enough to see into the water, so it's akin to snorkeling without getting wet, although there are far fewer fish than seen from the water by a reef.   We saw several needle fish, one making forays into a school of small silvery fish, something we haven't observed in the past. After stalking, he made lightening fast dashes into the school, sending them scattering before they regrouped - there's safety in numbers. 

Here's some of the wild life we saw on our walk.

Iguana basking in the morning sun

Anhinga, aka the snake bird for it's long neck

I think it's a Monarch, but it may be a look-a-like cousin, the Viceroy -
there were far fewer butterflies this year

A brown anole sunning on a sea grape leaf

A note - On NPR (where else!) I heard a story about last year's wading bird nesting counts in the Everglades.  While white ibis numbers increased 32%,  snowy egrets were down 51% and little blue herons down 70%, compared to a 10 year average.  While weather may be responsible, in part, for these drastic changes in numbers (drought during nesting season, limiting food sources), more work needs to be done on restoration of the Everglades to improve habitat. The Everglades is half its original size.

After checking out the light house and grounds, we walked along the beach.  Although it didn't appear to be refurbished or groomed, there were more people than shells. Several Portuguese man of war jelly fish had washed ashore, and a warning was posted at the beach house - reminding us to keep an eye out for them before going into the water, their stings are painful. 

Cape Florida light house - light keeper's house, privy, cistern, and light house

After lunch, we walked into Key Biscayne for ice cream.  Leonard had been firm that I shouldn't count on provisioning here, but he hadn't said anything about treats.  It's about 2 miles into town, much further to lug groceries than at Cooleys Landing, but it did offer a chance to pick up a few items that hadn't made the original list.

No Name Harbor in Bill Baggs State Park

The plan is to hop over to the Bahamas, departing after midnight, crossing the bank and clearing customs at Nassau.  Leonard estimated it's about 160NM, so we may opt to anchor on the bank if we're tired.  The long range forecast predicts light and variable winds through Sunday, so most of the trip will be under power, not ideal, but better than waiting for weeks for the NE wind to abate.  To facilitate our departure, we moved outside the harbor for the evening, thinking we'd have fewer boats to dodge as we head out.  However, with 15 boats anchored with us, and more arriving, we'll still be dodging boats (radar is wonderful)!  There were at least as many inside the harbor when we left.  Not sure how many are headed to the Bahamas, but we'd like to arrive at the head of the pack to be sure of getting a slip in Nassau to clear customs.  We hoping the forecast is accurate, allowing us reach the Exumas ahead of the wind.

If all goes as planned, it will be a while before we'll be posting another log since we won't have access to the hotspot on our cell phone.

Lynnea

Lake Worth, Ft Lauderdale and No Name Harbor

2/25/16    To 26 45.498N    80 02.583W    Lake Worth Anchorage    62.1NM

Knowing the current heading out the Ft.Pierce Inlet would only get worse as the morning progressed, we we dropped the mooring at 0545.  It might be referred to as 0'dark hundred, as the dawn hadn't progressed enough to provide much light as we got underway.  With the chart plotter things are easier than they used to be, since the ICW has both a magenta line and is shown in white (more than 12'), as opposed to some shade of blue indicating shallow water.  We could just spot the unlit marks as we approached, and most turns have a lighted buoy to aim toward.  As suspected, even with an early start, we saw current up to 2.5kts as we headed out the inlet.  It was easier than some years when we've buried the bow in standing waves thanks to wind against current. This year we battened down the hatches ahead of time, just in case.

Dawn on the ICW on the way to Ft. Pierce

The wind forecast was pretty accurate, 15-20kts WNW with gusts, plenty of wind, at for once at a good angle.  We ran out part of the jib as we headed out the inlet and sailed almost to the Lake Worth Inlet before restarting the engine.  Conditions were great since we sailed within a couple of miles of the shore so the wind waves didn't build.  There was a good 4-6' swell from the NE, but with a 8-10 second period was more of a rocking motion, that made for easy sailing.  

Once clear of the inlet, we had current with us and Leonard was concerned we'd arrive at lake Worth at maximum ebb.  Not to worry, it switched as the day progressed and the wind laid back a bit in the afternoon slowing our speed further, so unrolled the whole jib.   It seemed every time I looked at the 'time to waypoint' on the chart plotter after lunch, it read 3 hours to go as our speed varied.  I was all for arriving before dusk. Luckily the wind held, blowing harder every so often to keep us moving.  We turned into the channel a bit after 1700 along with a sailboat coming from the S, and the current was about as close to slack as it gets.

We watched a freighter as we approached the Lake Worth big ship anchorage as it rocked fore and aft in the swell - Leonard timed it at 12 seconds from bow up to bow up (the bow bulb coming about  1/2 way out of the water before getting buried again).  I don't ever remember seeing that obvious a motion in an anchored freighter in the past.

Swell breaking on the beach as we approach Lake Worth Inlet - the swell was more obvious closer to shore 

We headed in with the lowering sun glare shinning directly out the inlet, making it difficult to see.  Since the other sailboat was bigger and motoring faster, we let them pass, and saw the pilot boat out bound headed toward us.  As it passed, a woman went to the stern to warn us of an obstruction in the channel, an outbound freighter that had blended perfectly into the shore background in the glare. We'd been concentrating on finding the day mark off the main channel where we turn into the anchorage.  We were well clear of the freighter, but also glad for the heads up!

By 1730 we had the anchor down and called it a day, just a few minutes shy of a 12 hour day.  It had been a fairly easy sail and we'd seen several other sail boats offshore taking advantage of the wind and somewhat protected waters.  We're hoping for a repeat Friday when we head down to Ft.Lauderdale.   Dealing with occasional wind gusts offshore is much easier than dodging shoals, timing bridges and dealing with traffic.  We plan to spend the weekend at Cooley's Landing, up the New River, in the center of town and avoid the weekend traffic.  It will be a chance to restock the larder before hopefully hopping over to Bimini, hopefully next week.

While doing the laundry in Fernandina Beach I read an interesting article about Lake Worth in an old fishing magazine.  Lake Worth was a fresh water lake until our European ancestors arrived, filled with a variety of fish and widely used by Native Americans.  One of the first settlers decided he needed a way to ship his crop, so he made a cut into the Atlantic,  causing untold damage to the fresh water ecology of the lake.  He left soon thereafter for greener pastures, but the cut remained.  Over the years Mother Nature did her best to adapt to the changes and the 'lake' evolved into a spawning area for the ocean.  The surrounding land became 'prime' real estate over the years, with over fishing and development degrading the water quality until it became a 'dead area' unable to sustain a viable fish population.

One of the early environmentalists (and a fisherman) decided to try to help improve the water quality to see if nature could heal itself with a bit of help.  With a lot of volunteers, 1800 mangrove plants were individually hand planted along the shores to help filter and stabilize the banks.  Over the years, the fish population rebounded in spite of the dense development, both residential and commercial, on the shores.  Peanut Island, formed from dredge spoils, has been in the process of being lowered more recently, to help sustain the ecosystem (apparently it was unnaturally high , causing additional runoff problems).  The Lake Worth Inlet is a Class A inlet, and has one of the easier and shorter channels along the Florida coast.

2/26/16 - 2/28/16    To and at  26 07.035N,    80 08.948W    52.0NM    Slip 25, Cooley's Landing Marina Ft Lauderdale
We waited until dawn before pulling the anchor at Lake Worth to head on our way S, and by 0700, both sails were up and drawing as the morning breeze filled in.  It was an off again, on again type day, requiring a bit of help from the iron jib when the wind went light.  Ideally we would have liked to arrived up the New River by 1200, but knew that couldn't happen since it was 45 - 50NM.  We settled for arriving by mid afternoon, before the bridge restrictions between 1630 - 1800 began.  Although we wouldn't be able to get into our slip due to the current, we could tie up at the free park floating dock, about 1/4NM down river, while we waited.

As always, transiting the New River was exciting. given the bridges, twists and turns lined with docked mega yachts, and boat traffic. I spent much of the trip up river rigging dock lines and fenders.  We followed  Dakota II, a Sabre 38, and were followed by a mega yacht.  There aren't many places to pass on the river, so after sitting on our stern for a bit, the yacht backed off.  Usually the bridges are quick to open, but for some reason Andrews Bridge, the 2nd of 3, was very slow and we didn't hear the bridge tender respond to any calls.  Andrews lifts the entire span from the S bank, so we folks with masts like to hug the N bank to get the best clearance.

I'd talked to the dock master to get our slip assignment and was told to stop on the park dock with a big trawler also waiting for slack water.  All the park docks had a boat on them, so we aimed to tie up behind a runabout on the next dock ahead of the trawler.  As we approached the dock, the combination of the wake from the mega yacht passing us and a current swirl (the river curves here) caught Leonard by surprise, and we just slipped past the trawler by inches.  Much closer than we we like!

Once tied up, we walked to Cooley's to check out our slip and sign in with the dock master.  It appeared our best option would be to wait until after 1800 to clear the 7th Ave Bridge.  We spoke with the trawler who didn't need the bridge to open, and planned to move around 1730, low tide (however, low tide doesn't mean the current has switched).  He was just starting the "Loop", having purchase the boat in Ft. Meyers and heading up the Atlantic coast. He was single handing most of the trip, one sister was with him for this first portion and another would join him in Norfolk.  A Carver 44' is a lot of boat for 1 person!  When we saw him cast off, we made a bee line to the marina to catch his lines.  He did a good job (bow thrusters really help).  His sister said it was only his 5th time docking.

The current was still flowing at 1800, so we waited until 1825 and even then the current was still running downstream - we wanted to be in our slip before dark.  The folks from the trawler came to help, as did the 3 guys from the boat in the next slip, a Beneteau 42 from Nova Scotia.  My toss of the mid ship line wasn't dead on, but got to the dock.  Unfortunately, the guy missed it, so with a bit of current still flowing, our docking wasn't the most graceful.  It was an end slip, and wider than most - easy if the line had been caught.  With a bit of help and some work, we managed to get tied up without touching any pilings or the dock.

Fort Lauderdale always has something happening, and this year was no exception.  The Annual Blues and Music Festival was in the process of setting up while we waited at the park docks, and we heard the first group before we moved (we also heard them at the marina).  The concert hall next to the park was celebrating a 25th anniversary with a concert Saturday night, and was also fenced off for pre-concert activities.  On a walk, we found a jazz festival underway in another park along the waterfront.  Sunday was Farmer's Market day on Las Olas - as always, lots to see and do which is why a number of boats spend the winter at Cooley's.

Sailboat mosaic on the 7th Ave Bridge next to our slip at Cooley's Landing 

Our slip was close to the bridge, giving us a front row seat for watching the boat traffic and the bridge operate.  It was  noisy when the bridge closed, involving several jerks, clanks and bangs as the spans locked in place.  Surprisingly, neither the traffic noise (speed and tread on the tires make varying sounds, almost musical) nor the bridge operating kept us awake.  I woke up around 0600, surprised by the lack of noise, brief, but absolute. 

Don't see many of these on the road, a McLaren -
one of the 'over the top' cars we saw walking to the beach

Looking N along the ICW from the Las Olas Bridge

Fort Lauderdale beach on a Saturday afternoon

This year our timing was off this year and the Chupacks, friends from Cape Coral, weren't be able to join us.  So Saturday, after making a trip to Publix, we went for a walk.  We checked out both music festivals along the Riverwalk, headed over to Las Olas, and walked to the beach, some 4 miles, a bit further than we anticipated, but it was a beautiful day for a hike, sunny and in the 70's.  The beach was packed and we decided Cooley's Landing was preferable to the city marina by the Las Olas bridge, or the nearby city moorings along the ICW - it's more convenient to everything. The finale to the day was at  2200, fireworks for the music festival launched from the park docks.  Another long, full day!

Pembroke Corgi sporting a visor at the Ft. Lauderdale Farmer's Market

Bees gathering nectar at a shaving brush tree

Sunday we went to a bakery for a loaf of fennel/raisin bread (yum!) before heading to the Farmer's Market to stock up on fresh veggies.  The market was nice, much smaller and with less produce than Burlington - unlike at home,  none of the vendors grow their own produce, but get it from local farmers.  A stop at a nearby auto parts store to pick up oil for the outboard,  also provided us with a replacement for our water hose.  Leonard has been complaining about the unintentional showers caused by various pin holes in our old fabric  roll up hose.  Now he has no excuse not to wash the decks.

During the afternoon the dock master stopped by to say a young couple recognized Antares from the lake and were looking for us.  We eventually connected, it was Bev and Sam aboard Perigee, an O'Day 34, who spent time at the LCYC dock last spring when they began the 'Loop'.  Sounded like they had an interesting journey, and are now in the process of selling the boat and returning to life, with jobs and grad school on the horizon.  They won't quite close the 'Loop' - they're located up the Hudson River beyond Albany, and think the boat is more likely to sell further S.

You can never have too many horses (can you see the fuel gauges sweep toward E)

With plans to head down to Miami Monday, we made use of the marina pump out system, a do it yourself unit with connections at each dock.  A bit awkward, but it did the job and didn't require us to move, a real plus since slack water only occurs twice daily doesn't last long.  We topped off the water tanks, cleaned the cabin, rinsed the salt off the hull and did laundry.  With the 'fridge packed (2 more trips to Publix, fortunately only 1/2 mile away), and everything done, we walked to Briny's, a pub on the Riverwalk, for dinner,  I can only imagine how packed the Riverwalk would be if all the shops and restaurants were still open.  Other than the various boat tour operators, Briny's is the only place still operating in the complex, and they were packed.  On our first stop, all the stores in the large complex were occupied and  the Riverwalk was a major tourist attraction.  The recent recession has emptied the storefronts over the past few trips, although the walkway is still usually filled with a mix of tourists and locals.  Both banks of the river are lined with visiting yachts, part of the city's marina complex, so there's plenty to see.

2/29/2016    To   25 40.607N,  80 09.746W  35.5 NM   No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne

With slack water around 0930 Monday morning, we cast off and headed for Miami.  The trip down river was interesting - The RR bridge, usually open, was closed briefly for a short freight train.  Two tow tugs, several water taxis and a big yacht joined us as we negotiated the bridges.  The tugs were picking up a mega yacht at the junction of the ICW and the river whose tender was a small sport fish, almost as big as Antares.  A bigger sport fish had run aground on the shoal just off the channel,  and we watched a tow boat approach to pull  it off.

Two tugs heading out to pick up a yacht -
the  RR bridge is just opening with Andrews Bridge closing beyond

Pagoda at an estate on the S bank of the New River

Tarpon Bend on the New River

Tug attaching a line for a tow upriver, another tug was at the astern -
their tender is in the foreground

Sea Tow  pulling a sport fish off the shoal at the New River junction

By 1045, we were headed S along the coast under full sail, the E wind having filled in for the morning.  We weren't in a hurry since it was a fairly short distance so we motored less than 30 minutes to keep moving when the wind went light.  The entrance into Miami was easy with only the occasional boat racing past - weekends would be another story.   After quick stop at Miami Beach Marina to top off the fuel tank, the captain decided to go to No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne to wait for a weather window to hop to the Bahamas.  After sailing down Biscayne Bay, the anchor was set by 1710, another day with some good sailing.  By dark, 15 boats were anchored in the harbor with us, and 6 outside, so I suspect we may have company when we cross to the Bahamas. This year we'll try departing from the Florida Channel, the cut S of Key Biscayne rather than returning to Miami.   Tuesday night looks like a good time to head to Bimini, arriving at the Grand Bahama Bank around dawn and hopefully sailing most of the way across before stopping for the night (it's a BIG bank), and eventually clearing customs at Nassau - about 160NM.  With a bit of luck, the weather window will allow us to head for the Exumas before the next front arrives.

Looking back at Miami as we head for Biscayne Bay

Sunset from No Name Harbor

An interesting note.  Most of the beaches along the coast have been refurbished, or what ever term locals use for replacing sand on the beaches that has been removed by nature, to attract tourists.  From my prospective while it provides a walk-able beach, the dredging process breaks up any shells and makes for a 'boring' beach walk with little to see.  The process appears to be ongoing and unending, not unlike painting one side of a house every year.  An article in one of the Fort Lauderdale tourist brochures put the price tag at $10M/mile (there are a lot of miles of beach) which provided a 10 fold increase in tourist revenue.  Interesting, but I wonder how they did the math - was there a dramatic drop in visits, or is part of the increase due to a better economy and more Baby Boomers retiring (there does seem to be more boaters this year)?  Owning ocean front property looks less and less attractive between insurance issues, rising sea levels and storm induced erosion.

Enhancing the beach involves a lot of big equipment -
back hoes, bulldozers and lots of dredge pipe

Lynnea